The Tutor
by Lady Raconteur
Summary: When a failing grade forces Joey to be assigned a tutor, the last person he would have wanted was Seto Kaiba. Yet, what happens when the tutoring goes beyond schoolwork? Can they teach each other about living a better life? J x S
1. Making the Grade

Alright folks. Seeing as I've had an account here for _years_, I figured I'd finally do it justice by actually writing a story. Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed actually having the continual motivation to write it. ;) Oh, and to add the mandatory, I do not own 'Yu-gi-oh!'. There, I said it. Have fun!

**The Tutor**

_**Chapter 1**_

It was a dreary day, with rain pelting the ground as well as any unfortunate commuters who happened to be without a ride. Now soaked completely, Joey Wheeler was no different as his sneakers skid across the slippery concrete sidewalk while turning a corner. He'd been running a good five blocks since he overslept and missed the bus. It didn't help that he also had to avoid the beer bottles thrown harshly by his drunken father as he ran out the front door of their apartment, thereby missing any chance at breakfast. At this point, he only had one choice – sprinting like hell – if he wanted any chance of making it to school on time. He'd been tardy before, that was nothing new to him, but at least the weather up until recently had been more cooperative.

'_Goddamnit!'_ Apparently all luck had abandoned him when one wrong step met with a puddle up to his ankle. As a stream of curses made their way through his mind, Joey was at least thankful to see the bell tower of his school. He was close now.

Ripping open the front door of the school and nearly slipping as his wet sneakers met the slippery tile floor, Joey finally reached his classroom and stood outside the door for a few seconds in an attempt to catch his breath.

Slowly opening the door and stepping in purposefully, Joey slapped a look of indifference on his face as he stared straight ahead.

"Mr. Wheeler! This is the third time this _week_ you have been tardy!" Joey tried not to flinch at the sharp voice of his math teacher, a woman of short stature well past her prime. "That's another detention!"

Quickly spinning around to face her, water droplets flying from the ends of his damp hair, Joey flashed one of his signature grins, "Oh come now Ms. Lancy, you know how much I love staying here after school with you. I was just telling myself how great it is that the rain kept me away so that I could spend the precious time I have after school with a great teacher such as yourself."

"Yeah, yeah enough of your excuses" Ms. Lancy waved him away as the class snickered quietly.

Joey plopped down into his seat, glancing toward his best friend Yugi and giving him a thumbs-up. Yugi grinned back and both turned towards the front to listen to Ms. Lancy drone on about quadratic equations and standard deviations.

'_Stupid mutt. I don't see why he even comes at all.' _Seto Kaiba sat in the back of the classroom, typing away on his laptop. He was the smartest person in the room, he knew it, so he didn't feel the need to waste his attention to math problems he could do with ease. He had more important things to think about.

After the class ended, Seto watched with boredom as Joey and friends gathered up their books and headed to the cafeteria for lunch.

"A moment, Mr. Wheeler." Joey paused mid-step, leaning back into the classroom to look at the teacher.

"Yeah? What's up?" He walked back into the room, already tuning out the older woman's monotone voice.

"It seems Mr. Wheeler," Ms. Lancy began while pushing her glasses up further on the bridge of her nose, "that your grade in this class has fallen dramatically this semester. I hate to tell you this but unless you bring it back up, you'll have no choice but to repeat senior year."

"What!?" Joey whipped his head around, his attention fully returning to the woman sitting before him. _'Repeat senior year??' _The words echoed in his mind. He knew his grades weren't great, but he was actually excited about graduating and leaving the hell-hole that was his apartment. His dad had always given him trouble, and the last thing Joey wanted was to have to spend another whole year enduring his father's drunken abuse.

"I'm sorry Mr. Wheeler, but passing this class is a requirement for graduation. At this point the only thing I can suggest is that you find a tutor and raise your grade as soon as possible." Joey wordlessly turned to leave the classroom, walking quickly out the door. His eyes focused on nothing in particular as thoughts were racing through his mind.

'_A tutor? Don't you pay for those?? Like I can afford a goddamn tutor!'_

'_Shit!!' _Joey cursed inwardly as he realized he'd run into something…rather some_one_.

"Something troubling you mutt?" Seto asked innocently. He already knew exactly what it was…having stood outside the classroom door whilst eavesdropping unnoticed. He always enjoyed watching the shorter man squirm, and saw this as another opportunity to do so.

"None of your goddamn business!"

"Oh, testy today I see. The mutt's got some bite in him after all." Seto smirked at the angry look in Joey's eyes, which only intensified the glare he was receiving from the blond.

"Get out of my way! I don't need this right now." Joey harshly pushed the tall brunet aside as he made his way down the hall.

"Mr. Kaiba, may I speak to you for a moment?" Seto turned away from the blond's retreating figure to face Ms. Lancy.

"Yes?" Seto's amused smirk was quickly replaced with an annoyed frown.

"Mr. Wheeler seems to be slipping in my class. As you have the highest average, I will be assigning you to be his tutor."

Seto's frown deepened. "I don't have time to waste on that second-rate, lower class mongrel. I have a company to run."

"A company, I might add, that you seem to find more important than my class. I have let you get away with a lot Mr. Kaiba," Ms. Lancy continued, "but unless you show some actual interest in the subject by helping out a fellow classmate, I will have no choice but to question you interest in actually passing my class."

"You can't fail me." Icy blue eyes narrowed in contempt. If looks could kill, the old math teacher would already be dead on the spot.

"Watch me." Despite having to crane her neck back to look at him, Ms. Lancy wasn't backing down. Seto was surprised, his glares brought even the most powerful business men to their knees, but he kept his emotions in check. He could only narrow his eyes at the teacher. He didn't think the old woman was capable of blackmail.

"I will allow Mr. Wheeler to miss detention today so that you two may meet to begin his tutoring, but should I discover that you're not taking this seriously, I will fail you Mr. Kaiba. Don't think you can get out of this one with your high status in the business world." Had this been anyone _other_ than one of his teachers, Seto was sure he would have knocked them out cold before they even got through the last sentence.

"Fine, I'll tutor him." he spit out bitterly. With one last glare, Kaiba quickly turned away towards the library.

* * *

"Damnit. I'm never gonna get this." Joey sat in the back of the library, trying intently to make some sense of the numbers and symbols swimming across his textbook page. 

"They say talking to yourself is a sign of insanity, mutt." Seto stood over the seated blond, smirking at actually seeing the shorter man attempting to study.

"I already told ya to leave me alone!"

"Careful mutt, we are in a library after all. I must say I'm surprised you're here. I thought pets weren't allowed."

Joey felt his temper rising. He was really not in the mood for Kaiba's insults.

"Look, we ain't all geniuses like you with money coming out of our ears. Now if you'll excuse me, I actually have some studying to do."

Seto raised one elegant eyebrow in annoyance. He was ready for Wheeler to completely lose it. He wasn't expecting to be unceremoniously dismissed by the low life.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you mutt, but it seems I've been assigned to tutor you."

Joey turned around quickly. "Well I hate to disappoint _you_, but I don't need your help!"

"You do realize of course that if you fail, you won't graduate." Seto smirked at the growing rage within the blond. As much as he hated the prospect of having to be around the mutt, let alone wasting valuable time _tutoring_ him, the anger he incited within him was almost worth it. Almost.

"Look Wheeler, I don't want to be in this situation any more than you do, but the sooner you raise your pathetic grade the sooner you can get out of my hair."

Joey rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the encouragement."

"Fine, then meet me after school. I'm not going to wait for you, so don't be late."


	2. The Proposition

Author note: I do not own Yu-gi-oh.

_**Chapter 2**_

The final bell was both a blessing and a curse. While it was nice to finally get away from Ms. Lancer's leering eye, the last thing Joey wanted to do was be anywhere near Seto Kaiba.

"Hey Joey! Want to go to arcade?" Joey's best friend, Yugi, ran up beside him. Pushing a long blond bang away from his face, Yugi walked a little ways with Joey to allow the others in their group to catch up.

"Nah, man. I can't. I have to bring up my math grade or I can't graduate." Joey scuffed his sneaker against the concrete, already not looking forward to the rest of his afternoon.

"That's rough, man." said Tristan as he wrapped an arm around Joey's neck from behind.

"Yeah, do you need a tutor?" Tea smoothed out her uniform skirt as she joined the group.

"Already got one…it's Kaiba." The name sounded almost vulgar in his mouth, causing Joey to make a face to accentuate his feeling.

He thought briefly of ditching the rich bastard as he continued walking with his friends, but spending even _one_ more year with his deadbeat of a father was enough to make him eventually stride up to the young CEO, trying not to look enviously at the sleek black limo he was standing next to.

"Well now, I always knew you'd come back to your master, mutt." Seto couldn't hide the smirk forming on his lips. Seeing the disgruntled blond shuffling toward him with such an expression of wounded pride on his face was enough to brighten up his day.

"Shut up, Kaiba! If you're so smart, you should be able to tell the difference between dogs and people 'cuz _I_ am a _person_!" Joey glared hard at the brunet.

"I believe I _can_ tell the difference mutt. You're snarling, therefore I must conclude that you possess the qualities of a canine."

"I am _not_ snarling!!"

"Mutt, shut up and get in the car." Joey continued to glare at the taller man as he carefully stepped into the limo. Quickly waving to his friends, Joey plopped down on the seat furthest from the open door in order to be as far away from Kaiba as possible. Following suit and closing the door behind him, Kaiba smirked as Joey glared at the floor of the limo, enjoying the helplessness of the blond's situation.

They both sat in silence throughout the drive, looking out their respective windows. The ride was a quick one, which Kaiba was grateful for. Stepping out of the car smoothly when they arrived at their destination, Kaiba turned around slightly to make sure the mutt was following him. The look of utter awe on the shorter man's face was amusing to say the least, but he continued swiftly toward the door leaving Joey behind.

Joey stood awestruck outside the front of the Kaiba Mansion. Two enormous columns stood in front of the entrance with miles it seemed of windows extending on either side of the house. Joey didn't think he could even count the number of rooms and was doubtful he'd ever find his way back out if he took one wrong turn while inside.

'_Good God, why the hell would someone need all this room!?'_ Despite living in a rat hole-sized apartment, Joey knew even he would never need _that_ much space. Shifting his backpack to his shoulder, he heard a distant '_Slam!'_ a ways in front of him.

"Hey!" Running up to the door and rattling the doorknob, Joey couldn't believe it. '_That goddamn bastard locked me out!!'_ "Open the door you jackass!"

"There was a quick '_Click!'_ as the door was unlocked on the other side, and Joey revved himself up to punch the son of a bitch in the face when he opened the door. Looking straight ahead where Seto's head would have been, Joey was surprised to see no one there…until he heard the sound of someone clearing their throat below him.

"Hey Joey! I'm so glad you're here! I apologize for my brother locking you out. He didn't mean it."

"No worries Mokuba." Joey quickly put his fist down, not wanting to frighten the younger boy. He liked Mokuba. The kid's older brother could learn a few lessons from _him_ when it came to socializing with other people. And just being normal.

"Seto is upstairs in his room. I'll take you there so you don't get lost." Mokuba grinned happily as he grabbed Joey's hand and practically dragged him up the stairs. Guests were rare in the Kaiba house, and despite his older brother's frosty exterior and personality, Mokuba always strived to be accommodating and friendly.

After walking down endless hallways and taking _way _too many turns for Joey to remember, the two found themselves standing outside a closed door. Mokuba paused before turning the doorknob.

"Hey Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been getting worried about my brother. He spends all his time working and hardly ever talks to anyone, even me. I know you guys don't get along real well, but could you at least try to like him? Seto's never been all that friendly…"

"I picked up on that a long time ago, kid." Joey interrupted with a grin.

"I know," Mokuba stuck out his tongue, "but if Seto had a friend, he wouldn't spend all his time wasting away in front of his laptop. He might actually _live_ a little. I know I'm probably asking a lot, but could you at least try?"

Turning over the proposition in his mind, Joey ruffled the boy's dark hair, much to the dismay of the younger Kaiba who pushed the hand away playfully. As much as Joey could attest to the elder Kaiba having a ten-foot iron pole shoved up his ass, Mokuba's happy nature had to mean there was _some_ level of kindness inside the blue-eyed prick. The only problem is what _he_ could get out of this. Joey supposed the challenge of making Kaiba more sociable might be interesting enough. This time, Joey would be the master and Kaiba the mutt. Grinning at the mental image and pleased by the thought, Joey turned to look at Mokuba.

"The keyword here is '_try'_, but I'll do my best. Besides, it'll give me an excuse to bug the hell outta him." Joey flashed a grin as Mokuba smiled appreciatively and turned to open the door.

Seto didn't look up from his desk, which was situated across from his four poster bed with matching blue sheets and comforter. A bookshelf stood behind the desk, next to what Joey assumed was a closet or bathroom door. The one small lamp lit on the side table next to the bed provided little light with the thick curtains drawn over the sole, yet rather large, window, leaving Seto's laptop as the only other source of light in the room. Typing was the only sound, causing it to permeate the room, until Joey took a step forward.

"About time. Do I need to have a leash on you from now on so you won't get lost?" At this, Seto looked up. Cool sapphire eyes met intense amber ones as Joey struggled to keep his temper under control.

"I would've been here sooner if you hadn't locked the goddamned door on me! Let's start on this stupid thing now so I can leave already!"

"I suppose we should." Seto stretched his fingers, trying to regain some movement after typing for so long. "You did bring your books with you didn't you?"

"Of course I did! I'm not stupid!"

Seto raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Now _that,_ I'm afraid, is a questionable subject, but off-topics aside, let's get started."

* * *

Reviews always appreciated! Lady Raconteur 


	3. Out of Time

Author Note: I do not own Yu-gi-oh

_**Chapter 3**_

"Wrong."

"What?? But you told me to substitute the 5 for the 'b' value!" This was Joey's third attempt and he still couldn't get it right.

"True, but the formula calls for the _opposite_ of the 'b' value, making 5 a negative 5." Seto wearily rubbed his eyes. He'd lost a whole day's work just trying to get through the mutt's homework. He was a little frustrated at this point, yes, but he knew yelling at the blond wouldn't help the situation.

Joey sighed as he angrily erased the work on his paper for the third time. Despite his agitation, Joey had to admit he was surprised at Seto's patience…he on the other hand was having more trouble concealing his frustration.

Joey suddenly stopped erasing when a thought struck him. "Hey what time is it?"

Seto flipped his wrist to look at the face on his wristwatch. "A little after nine."

"Shit!" Joey shot up out of his chair, furiously grabbing his books and papers and stuffing them frantically into his backpack. His father always locked the apartment door at nine, leaving Joey to only hope the windows wouldn't be locked as well. His bedroom window at this point would be his only way in. So long as he wasn't caught…

"Calm down puppy. The pound doesn't close early today." Seto watched in amusement at Joey's anxious behavior.

"Shove it moneybags, cuz I need to leave _now_. I'll knock you flat for that later."

"Like you could mutt." Seto rolled his eyes as Joey sprinted out the bedroom door. He counted silently in his head, '_Three…two…one…'_

"How the hell do you get outta this place!?" echoed a certain blond's voice from down the hall.

'_Typical_.' Seto slowly made his way to the bedroom door, enjoying the look of agitation on the shorter man's face.

Walking past more closed doors and down more hallways, Joey's patience was wearing increasingly thin. Eventually when Seto reached to open a door, in what seemed like _forever _according to Joey's standards, Joey was ready to sprint down the, hopefully, front driveway and pray to whatever god was out there that his father was still out.

So when the door opened to reveal another, messier, bedroom, Seto was just a little disappointed not to hear the sound of Joey's head exploding. He knew the pup, for whatever reason, was in a hurry. That wasn't to say, however, that Joey wasn't close to exploding…

"What the _hell_ Kaiba!! I have to leave _now!!_"

Well…close enough.

"Wheeler, if you would kindly refrain from using such derogatory language, I would like to wish my little brother goodnight before we leave." Seto walked into Mokuba's room, pleased that Joey's little outburst hadn't waken the long-haired boy up. Pushing back a strand of ebony hair from Mokuba's sleeping face, Seto let escape a small, genuine smile.

Joey, now pacing up and down the hallway past the open bedroom door, stopped mid-step at the sight. He had never, _ever,_ seen Kaiba smile. Smirk, yes. Grin maniacally, yes. But smile? Joey had to admit he felt a little privileged, because really, who could claim they actually saw the great Seto Kaiba _smile_?

The moment was shattered in an instant when Joey realized he'd been caught staring. The smile on Seto's face was quickly replaced with a harsh scowl as Seto crossed the length of the room in long, swift steps and promptly shut the door, all the while glaring intently at the shorter blond.

"You got a problem mutt?"

Anger quickly returning, Joey glared right back. "Yeah, I'm still _here_. Can we leave already??"

"If you're in such a hurry, then leave. The front door is right over there." Seto was done pestering the mutt at this point and half-heartedly pointed to a door a little ways to the left, dismissing the blond. He'd had enough of him for one day, if not more.

Letting out a growl of frustration, Joey quickly ran over, throwing open the door to the outside world. _'Finally!'_ The rain, it seemed however, had not let up, forcing Joey to run even faster to avoid being late as well as becoming soaked for the second time that day.

Pulling his school jacket closed in an attempt to stay dry, Joey slowed down a little as he assessed his surroundings. He quickly realized that he had _no idea_ where he was. There was no way in hell he was going back to ask Kaiba for help, that was for sure, so Joey could only hope he would be able to retrace the car trip back to at least some place he recognized.

Having made it to the end of the street, Joey was startled by the honking of a car horn behind him. Turning around quickly to make sure he wasn't in the way, Joey watched as the car pulled up slowly beside him with Seto looking at him through the open passenger window.

"Get in the car mutt. The last thing I want to hear is you complaining if you get sick. I won't let you in my house if you get pneumonia."

Joey scoffed sarcastically. "Why yes, I would _love_ a ride home. Your generosity just continues to amaze me, Kaiba." _'Annoying bastard…'_

Quickly opening the door to escape the rain and plopping himself into the seat, Joey watched in amusement at Seto's clear expression of disgust at the muddy footprints now imprinted on the floor carpet of the car. Joey closed his eyes as he nestled deeper into his seat, smiling contently as he felt the water from his clothes seep into the plush leather cushion. _'Have fun cleaning this later, you rich brat.'_

Steering away from the curb, Seto floored the accelerator, enjoying the frightened look on Joey's face at the sudden increase in speed. _'That's what you get, you ungrateful punk.'_

The drive was relatively silent, with Joey only interrupting to give directions. Granted, the directions he was giving would only get him within two blocks of his apartment building. He didn't particularly want to give Seto another reason to rag on him, and with the neighborhood getting shadier as they continued driving, Joey's less-than-perfect living conditions was something he wasn't about to flaunt.

Although he wasn't showing it, Seto was beginning to get a little uneasy as he watched the surrounding streets and buildings disintegrate with each passing minute. _'You're worried about him.'_ Seto furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the inner voice. _'Wait…worried? Why would I be worried about the mutt?'_

"Hey, moneybags. Earth to moneybags! Stop!"

Jolted back into reality, Seto quickly pulled over to the nearest curb and watched silently as Joey stepped out. The blond hesitated for a moment, eventually turning around and bending over to look back into the car.

"Uh, thanks for the ride Kaiba." Joey flashed a lopsided smile before slamming the door and walking quickly across the street and up the opposite sidewalk. Seto waited until the blond had walked a good distance before he slowly began following him.

He got about half a block before his rational side kicked in. _'What the hell am I doing?? This is insane. No doubt the mutt can find his geek squad if he gets into trouble.'_

Satisfied with that notion, Kaiba quickly spun a one-eighty and sped off in the opposite direction.

Joey turned at the sound of screeching tires and was relieved when he saw Kaiba's car driving away. Shoving his hands into his pant pockets, Joey jogged to the end of the street, turning down an alleyway to his right. Looking up the side of the building to the third floor window, Joey quickly pulled down the wet metal ladder above him and climbed up the fire escape. Careful not to slip as he made his way up, Joey quietly tiptoed over to the dark window. Slowly slipping his fingers under the windowsill, he lifted up the, thankfully, unlocked window and carefully stepped into his bedroom. The window was directly above his bed, making his entrance a silent one, which had Joey heaving an unspoken sigh of relief.

A faint _'click'_ of a light switch was heard, causing the pitch black room to be suddenly flooded with light. Joey spun around sharply and was met with a very pissed, very drunk looking father.

"You're late boy."

'_Fuck.'_

* * *

Reviews always appreciated! Lady Raconteur 


	4. Abandonment

Author note: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

_**Chapter 4**_

"Where the _hell_ were you boy!?" This was bad. This was _really_ bad. Joey's father staggered as he attempted to make his way closer to the bed, running into Joey's desk clumsily.

"Shit! Goddamnit!" The older Wheeler grabbed at his knee in pain after hitting the sharp corner of the desk. Not needing another opportunity, Joey took no time in leaping off his bed and making a beeline for the hallway. The alcohol made his father's movements much slower than usual, allowing Joey to reach the door with little difficulty.

"Get back here you worthless punk!!"

Bounding down the stairs, Joey grabbed the backpack that was already slipping from his shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen. Staying here in the apartment was out of the question, so grabbing what food was in the cupboard would last him at least the night.

After zipping up the bag, Joey sprinted toward the front door. Making to grab for the doorknob, his vision suddenly blurred as a beer bottle smashed into the back of his head. Struggling to regain his focus, Joey was roughly turned around and shoved into the door, causing the back of his head to explode in pain.

'_How the hell did he get down here so fast??' _The elder Wheeler leaned his face in close, allowing Joey the pleasure of inhaling his breath, which reeked of alcohol. Glaring intently at his son, Joey's father spoke in a low, dangerous tone.

"Where _were_ you boy?"

Holding back unshed tears as the pain throbbed in his head, Joey choked out through his teeth, "At a friend's house!! He's tutoring me in math!"

"Goddamnit boy! You know the rules of his house!" Slamming his hand on the door in fury, the older man abruptly gripped the collar of Joey's shirt and yanked him to the ground. Joey had little time to be surprised at his father's strength as he was barraged with blows from the steel-toed ends of the elder Wheeler's boots.

Joey's body screamed out in pain in response to the attacks, but Joey knew it was pointless to fight back. He'd given up on that a long time ago. Years of experience throughout his childhood taught him that it only enraged his father further and made the beatings that much more painful.

Joey had to learn to fend for himself very early on in life, especially after his parents divorced. He could still remember happier times, though, when his family was still together. He loved spending time with his parents when he was younger, and when his sister, Serenity, was born, Joey couldn't be more excited. He and his sister always got along, with one rarely around without the other. However, it was a few years later that his parents began arguing more often, sometimes to the point where Joey could hear objects being thrown and smashed against the walls. When the arguments would become that intense, Joey and his sister were forced to take refuge in his bedroom, Joey doing his best to comfort little Serenity when she would start crying.

Eventually, Joey's mother demanded a divorce. In court, she claimed her children were in danger if left with their father, and fought for custody of both. Without a job, however, the judge concluded that Joey's mother wouldn't have enough of an income to care for both children. Joey and Serenity clung to one another tightly when the judge forced Mrs. Wheeler to choose between them. Tears streaming down his face, Joey watched in horror as his mother looked emotionlessly at him…and chose Serenity instead. He gripped onto this mother's leg, crying out for her to take him too, but he was roughly yanked away by his father, forced to watch his mother and sister leave without him.

For months afterwards, Joey firmly believed his mother would come back for him. His father, however, had taken to drinking to forget about his problems, often coming home drunk and lashing out at his son. Joey soon became a regular at the Domino City Hospital. The doctors were able to guess what was going on, but could never do anything because Joey would always deny it. As the years passed, and the abuse became more violent, Joey realized the truth – his mother wasn't coming back…and neither was Serenity.

Joey's eyes filled with tears at the memory. He could already feel his body slowly becoming numb to the pain, yet one particular kick brought it all back as a sickening _'crack!'_ echoed throughout the apartment. Joey opened his mouth to scream but quickly covered it as he began coughing up blood.

'_I can't breathe!'_ Joey began to panic as the blood clogged his throat, preventing him from inhaling. What forced breaths he could take where short and shallow as every movement seemed to increase the immense pressure he felt on his chest.

'_I'm going to die…I'm suffocating myself…I can't…'_ Joey couldn't feel his father's boots anymore; the excruciating pain in both his head and chest now unbearable. He felt like he was falling, trying desperately to fight the blackness peeking into the sides of his vision. He sensed vaguely that he was being picked up and carried somewhere, but all thoughts were lost as unconsciousness finally claimed him.

* * *

Seto sat rereading the data report for the fifth time. He didn't know why, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. As hard as he tried, the image of a certain blond mutt just would not go away. In an attempt to distract himself, Seto pushed back a lock of brown hair in frustration and began pacing the length of his office. After dropping off Joey, Seto took a detour to Kaiba Corp. After losing an entire afternoon, he needed to get _some_ semblance of work accomplished so the day wasn't a total waste. Yet as bad enough as it was to lose that much time because of the mutt, Seto had to admit he was _still_ losing time because of him…and he wasn't even _there_.

'_This is pointless.'_

Finally deciding to give up for the day, Seto shut off his computer and locked the door of his office. Taking the elevator down to ground level, he quickly walked through the now empty lobby and stepped out into the night.

Turning towards home, Seto decided to walk instead of taking his car. It was rare that the weather was this nice; the rain having brought the temperature down. The gentle wind felt cool on his face, and walking through the park allowed him to take pleasure in watching the cherry blossoms delicately float through the air from the breeze. Seto was surprised at how relaxed he felt. It was nice to break routine once in a while; he'd have to bring Mokuba here sometime to see the blossoms before they went away.

Walking out of the park and onto the sidewalk, Seto slowed down when he saw a huddled mass a little ways in front of him. Assuming it to be a homeless person, he made to cross the street to avoid them. He looked back once more as he stepped off the curb…and stopped abruptly.

That was no homeless person…

"Oh my God."


	5. Surprising Change of Heart

Author note: Yes, surprise surprise, I do not own Yu-gi-oh. Now, on to the fun!

_**Chapter 5**_

_Beep…beep…beep…_

The noise sounded so far away. As he slowly began to regain his senses, Joey knew where he was before even opening his eyes. He'd been here enough times before to be able to recognize the sounds and smells of the Domino City Hospital.

He suddenly gritted his teeth as all the pain swiftly returned throughout his body with the help of his nervous system. The back of his head didn't hurt as much anymore, but his chest was on fire, making it a struggle to catch his breath. He tried opening an eye to see if anyone was there, but the intensity of the light in the room forced him to shut it again.

Each heartbeat and breath seemed to increase the throbbing in Joey's chest. He gripped the bed sheets in pain and fought unsuccessfully to hold back the tears that were now leaking through his closed eyelids.

Burying his face into the pillow, Joey was startled when he suddenly felt a cool hand cover one of his own. Instantly opening his eyes, blinking furiously to adjust to the light, Joey quickly turned his head.

"Kaiba? What…?"

To say he was shocked to see the blue-eyed CEO would have been an understatement. Questions immediately swarmed through his mind as he tried to mentally connect the pieces. Opening his mouth to ask, Joey was interrupted when Kaiba gently squeezed his hand and spoke instead.

"Don't try to talk, Wheeler. Just be thankful you're not still on the side of the road."

'_Side of the road?'_ Joey couldn't remember anything after passing out in his apartment, but it wasn't what Kaiba said that baffled him. Why the hell was he _here?_

Seto could read the confusion on the blond's face. They were rivals after all, so he couldn't really blame the mutt for wanting to know why he, the "cold-hearted bastard" as Joey often called him, was the one sitting beside him and holding his hand.

"I found you unconscious outside the park on the side of the street last night, mutt. As you were visibly injured, the natural thought process was to bring you to a hospital. You don't need to look so stunned." Seto turned away, avoiding the surprise still present in the mutt's chocolate brown eyes.

It bothered Seto when people were shocked every time he did something nice. He was, admittedly, a rather introverted person, but that didn't mean he was emotionless. Yes, he had a more solitary nature, but people tended to mistake that for arrogance and conceit. As much as Mokuba encouraged him to make friends, Seto knew it was pointless when the public looked at him with that kind of mindset. That was why he generally disliked people – they were too assuming.

Joey could tell Kaiba was deep in thought. Pain bearable at the moment, he took to studying the taller man and was intrigued by the range of emotions that crossed his face. At one point, Joey could literally feel Kaiba's anger when he scowled and unintentionally squeezed his hand tighter. Seeing the ever changing expressions became rather amusing to Joey until he caught a look of sorrow in Kaiba's eyes. He wasn't expecting that, but had little time to dwell on it as the doctor stepped into the room.

"Good morning, Mr. Wheeler."

Both Joey and Seto quickly pulled their hands away as the doctor entered, looking at opposite sides of the room awkwardly.

"My name is Dr. Cooper. I'm glad to see you're awake, seeing as you suffered some major damage to your rib cage. Had Mr. Kaiba not found you, you would have died from suffocation."

Despite his apparent close encounter with death, Joey inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. He hadn't had this doctor before, meaning if he was lucky, Kaiba wouldn't find out about any of his past "visits." It was bad enough that he now owed Kaiba for saving his life without revealing the truth that his father abused him.

"…putting incredible pressure on your heart and lungs. You underwent some surgery after you arrived here in order to reset your rib cage to where the pressure would be alleviated. Thankfully nothing was punctured by the broken bones, but you will need to stay here until you've healed a little more."

"For how long?" Joey didn't really care what was wrong with him, just how long it would be until he could leave. Needless to say, the place held some rather bad memories for him. He didn't want to stay here any longer then he absolutely needed to.

"Well, the next few days at the very least."

"A few days!? I can't stay here a few days! I have school and–" Joey was forced to stop himself when he suddenly couldn't breathe. Trying to calm down so he could breathe normally again, Joey took to glaring at the doctor to show his frustration.

"I understand your concern, Mr. Wheeler. As you can see, however, you are clearly not well enough to be able to leave here anytime soon. I would advise you to contact your parents about overnight arrangements."

Joey's face paled. There was no way in hell he was going to call his father and there was _certainly_ no way in hell he could afford to stay in the hospital. His bill was probably already somewhere in the thousands just for the surgery alone. He couldn't even remember how he managed to pay for all the bills in the past, but whoever paid them by now must have either moved or died, leaving Joey with little option elsewhere. Calling his mother wasn't even a consideration. She'd already made her point in abandoning him.

Seto looked sideways to catch a glimpse of the blond's face. He knew the mutt had no way of paying for this. Before the doctor had walked in he was seriously close to getting up and leaving, but having stayed and become a witness to the situation, Seto knew he'd probably never escape his conscience, or Mokuba, if he didn't do something.

As Joey stared ahead blankly, his mind racing over his hopeless predicament, Seto quietly stepped outside the room with the doctor, making sure to close the door behind him.

"I will be responsible for his expenses."

Dr. Cooper looked at Seto skeptically. "Are you related to Mr. Wheeler in some way?"

Seto mentally rolled his eyes. _'Again with the surprise.'_ "I said I would pay for him. I helped pay for the construction of this hospital and hold a large percentage of its ownership do I not?"

"Yes, of course Mr. Kaiba. I was only–"

"Then on that basis alone, I see nothing wrong with choosing to spend _my_ money on a patient in _my_ hospital." Seto glared at doctor in annoyance. The hospital would get the money, so why should it matter who it comes from? _'Especially if it's from me, for crying out loud.'_

"Of course, Mr. Kaiba. I'll go draw the necessary paperwork for Mr. Wheeler's care and temporary living arrangements here."

Seto smirked as the doctor quite literally ran away. He loved watching people with power tremble at his feet. Gaining the respect of high-class professionals is tough, but it's even more so when you're only 18 and make about $4 million more then they do. Jealousy and contempt tends to run deep in the working world.

Reaching into his pocket and taking out his cell phone, Seto made a quick call before walking back down the hall to the mutt's room.

Snapping his phone closed when he finished and arriving at the door, Seto looked through the window to check on Joey. The mutt was now looking at his hands in his lap, but Seto couldn't make out his expression as his signature messy blond hair covered his face. Slowly turning the doorknob and stepping back into the room, Seto waited for Joey to lift his head so he could see his face. When the shorter man made no movement, Seto crossed the room and sat on the bed, staring at the blond intently.

"Look at me Joey."

Joey raised his head slightly, more surprised at hearing Kaiba say his name than anything else.

Fed up with waiting, Seto grabbed the younger man's chin and lifted his face so that they were eye-level.

Joey looked pitiful. His hair was matted to his face from the tears that had since dried on his cheeks. His nose was red and his eyes puffy, but he still wouldn't look Seto in the face. Not sure what else to do, Seto sighed and reached over to grab a tissue from the box on the bedside table. Seto crossed his arms in mild annoyance as he waited for Joey to recollect himself.

"Are you done?"

"Leave me alone Kaiba." Joey replied miserably. He couldn't figure out why the blue-eyed prick wouldn't just leave. He didn't need to be reminded how much he owed him for saving his life, and now his pride was gone at being seen in such a wretched state. Joey had nothing left and no one to turn to. He couldn't tell his friends about this, they'd ask too many questions, and there was no way he'd ask them to pay his hospital expenses for him. He was alone…and that scared him.

The overwhelming feeling of gloom emanating from the blond was finally enough for Seto. As much as he hated to admit it, he felt sorry for Joey. He had originally planned not to tell the mutt that he would be paying for him, making the doctor say it was some charity or something, but Seto hated seeing the shorter man in such a hopeless state.

"Mutt, stop sulking. Your expenses are already taken care of."

Joey lifted his head to look at the brunet. _'But…how?' _His eyes widened in hope, until a thought occurred to him._ 'He must have paid it. He certainly has enough money for it.' _Great. Now, in addition to owing him for saving his life, he now had to pay Kaiba back for his hospital bill.

Expecting to see some kind of grateful look on the blond's face, Seto was just a little surprised when Joey looked even more depressed.

"Wheeler, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Joey's head snapped up, his brown eyes blazing in anger. "Don't you get it!? You saved my life, and now you're paying for my goddamn hospital bill!! Damnit Kaiba! I can't pay you back for any of this!!"

Inwardly comforted at getting some kind of reaction out of the blond, Seto raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who said you have to pay me back?"

"I did! I can't accept something like this without some way of repaying it! I may not have money like you Kaiba, but I at least have my honor." Joey held his glare, thankful that he didn't have to try to catch his breath again because of his injury.

Now becoming irritated, Seto matched Joey's glare with one of his own.

"Listen mutt. I can't change the fact that I just happened to find you lying on the side of the road. And despite what you may think, I'm not trying to compromise your honor by paying your expenses for you. I'm not looking for repayment, so don't think I'm doing this to insult you."

Joey could feel his anger fading, but continued to stare intently into Kaiba's eyes.

"Then why are you doing this?"

Seto opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he realized he didn't know how to answer. An awkward silence hung in the air as Seto scoured his brain for what he thought would an acceptable reply. This never happened to him. He was always in control and knew exactly what to say.

Thankfully, he was saved from having to answer when there was a soft knock on the door as Yugi, Tristan, and Tea walked into the room. Slowly backing away to leave, Kaiba looked back at the little reunion.

"Joey! Thank goodness you're okay!" Yugi said as he rushed over to the blond's bed.

"How'd you know I was here?" Joey asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Kaiba called the Game Shop and told me you were in an accident, so here we are!" Yugi was relieved to see that Joey appeared to be okay despite the thick bandages wrapped around his chest.

Absorbing this new information, Joey looked up as Seto made to open the door. Flashing a small smile with an appreciative look in his eyes, Joey watched as the CEO made a curt nod of understanding and walked out the door.

'_Thank you Kaiba…for everything.'_

* * *

Alright...next chapter!

And as always, reviews appreciated. Lady Raconteur


	6. A Mutual Understanding

Author note: Nope. Don't own Yu-gi-oh.

_**Chapter 6**_

Joey ended spending a total of five days in the hospital. Yet, his stay wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Kaiba still came to visit, in order to continue tutoring him, and his friends always made a point to see him. Nevertheless, Joey was immensely relieved when he was finally cleared to leave the hospital. His chest still twinged at bit whenever he took deep breaths, but for the most part his broken ribs had mended well enough.

Walking through the automatic glass doors of the hospital, Joey quickly realized he wasn't sure where to go. Despite being gone for five days, Joey guessed he probably wouldn't be welcomed back home, so he decided to just let his feet take him wherever they wanted to go.

It was a beautiful day, with the sun warming his skin and a gentle breeze flowing in the air. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Joey took a turn into the park and finally settled on sitting under one of the many cherry blossom trees still in bloom. The shade was nice, allowing Joey a chance to lean his head back against the tree and close his eyes.

"I figured you'd come here."

Peeking open an eye, Joey looked up and grinned at the brunet standing over him.

"I'm that predictable, eh?"

"No," Seto said as he continued looking down at the blond, "I just followed you."

"Stalker." Laughing softly and bringing a knee up to lean his arm on, Joey was somewhat surprised at the normal conversation he and Kaiba were having.

"Don't flatter yourself, mutt. I just wanted to come and wish you luck on your math exam tomorrow."

Grinning as he raised an eyebrow at the taller man, Joey replied, "Did you really come here to wish me luck?"

Smirking back, Kaiba sat down across from the blond. "No, but if you fail I _will_ kick your ass."

Chuckling at the response while shaking his head, Joey turned to watch the other people walking through the park. "Yeah, I suppose if I fail it'll show everyone what a crap tutor you are, huh?"

"No, it would just show what a crap student _you_ are."

Glaring sideways at the CEO, Joey grabbed a twig and threw it in response. "This is weird. We've never had an actual conversation like this before."

Seto nodded thoughtfully in agreement. He had to admit, though, it was kind of…nice to talk to the mutt. He'd never tell him this of course, but it was rare that he actually managed to put up with someone, minus his brother, for this long.

"So why'd you follow me here then?" Joey turned back to look at Seto curiously.

Seto knew he was probably touching a sensitive area, but he had to know.

"Who hurt you?"

Joey's grin faded as he turned his head again and looked away. He couldn't tell Kaiba the truth, so he quickly racked his brain for an excuse.

"A couple guys jumped me in the alley when you dropped me off. It's no big deal."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "It is a big deal, mutt. You need to tell the police."

Whipping his head to look the brunet in the eye, Joey replied angrily, "No I don't! Things like this happen all the time! Besides, I couldn't see them in the dark, so it wouldn't help the police anyway."

Kaiba sensed vaguely that Joey was hiding something, but knew pushing him would only increase his denial.

Heaving a sigh and staring at his hands, Joey closed his eyes. "You've already helped enough, Kaiba. This is my problem, not yours."

Seto stood up and brushed the dirt from his clothes. He'd let this slide for now. "I'll see you tomorrow then, mutt."

Joey chewed his bottom lip as he watched the brunet walk away.

"Kaiba."

Pausing mid-step and turning his head slightly, Seto waited for the mutt to continue.

"You…you're alright, man."

Turning around fully now, Seto raised his eyebrows at the lopsided smile he was receiving from the blond.

Smiling slightly, Seto's expression suddenly turned serious as he looked directly into Joey's eyes.

"Take care of yourself, Wheeler."

A moment of mutual understanding passing between them, Seto took one last look before turning and walking out of the park.

* * *

This was it. The moment of truth. Both of Joey's legs were jumping uncontrollably underneath his desk as he repeated mathematical equations over in his head. He felt like he was going to throw up if he didn't get his hands on that test paper soon.

The moment the paper hit his desk, Joey anxiously turned it over and scoured the front page. He knew this stuff. He could do this.

Peering at the blond from a few desks over, Seto smirked as he watched Joey furiously scribble on his test paper. He laughed at himself when he realized he actually wanted the mutt to do well. Taking a quick look at the clock, Seto turned over his own test and began.

In what felt like a few minutes, the bell rang. Jumping at the sound, Joey realized class was over and quickly filled in the line of the last problem. Putting his pencil down, Joey let his forehead hit the desk as he felt his adrenaline fading.

"Don't worry, Joey. I'm sure you did fine." Yugi said, turning around to look at his best friend as the tests were picked up.

Covering his face with his hands, Joey sighed. "Man, I hope so."

"Yeah, well let's get some lunch. Food always cheers you up." Tristan grinned down at Joey as he shifted his backpack to his shoulder.

Taking his hands off his face, Joey grabbed his own backpack and stood up. "Yeah, let's go."

Reaching the door, Joey suddenly turned around to look back into the classroom. His eyes searched the classroom, finally resting on the face of a certain brown-haired CEO. Joey grinned and gave a quick thumbs up before heading out the door.

Smirking in return while shaking his head, Seto strode to the empty doorway. Walking slowly down towards the cafeteria, Seto watched as the mutt laughed and threw his arm around Yugi's shoulder.

'_You're alright, too…Joey.'_

_

* * *

_


	7. Or not

Many thanks to you wonderful reviewers out there, and now onto the fun!

Author note: Nope, don't own Yugioh...just the laptop I'm using to write this.

_**Chapter 7**_

When the final bell rang, Joey nearly sprinted for the door. The math test had been stressing him out all day and sitting in class only served as a constant reminder of it.

"Mr. Wheeler."

Stopping abruptly and causing several people to run into him, Joey turned around to look at his math teacher.

"I took the liberty of grading your test early, and I'd like to discuss your score with you."

'_Oh crap…crap crap crap.'_ Fidgeting as he stood, Joey waited for Ms. Lancy to continue.

Readjusting her glasses, Ms. Lancy stared at her student a little longer, loving the suspense. Slowly her mouth formed a smile.

"Good job, kid. You're almost there."

Reaching out his hand to grab the offered test paper, Joey took a moment to absorb the bright red "92" on the top of the page.

"Yes!" He couldn't believe it. He'd actually passed the test…and with a 92! His smile faltered, however, when he remembered something the teacher said.

"Wait…_almost_ there?"

Ms. Lancy sat up in her chair. "While you have brought up your average with this score, I'm afraid you're still not close enough to passing this class."

Joey's face fell. All that hard work…and he wasn't even there yet. Arms falling to his sides, Joey let his shoulders droop slightly.

"So what do I have to do?"

"Nothing you're not doing already, Mr. Wheeler. Mr. Kaiba has clearly proven himself to be an exceptional tutor. So long as you two continue to meet, you should be able to bring up your grade in no time."

'_Kaiba…the "exceptional tutor."' _Joey sighed grudgingly. "Yeah, all praise Kaiba and his amazing genius."

Turning her attention to organizing the other tests in front of her, Ms. Lancy wasn't sure how to respond. "Well…at least both you and Mr. Kaiba can look forward to graduation now."

Ears perking in interest, Joey looked back up at the older woman curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, like you, Mr. Kaiba was dangerously close to not graduating. His lack of participation in my class made me question his interest in actually passing it. He agreed to tutor you so long as I passed him, and thus allow him to graduate."

Joey's eyes widened as he gaped at the woman in front of him. Kaiba not being able to graduate? Well…talk about irony.

"So, Kaiba didn't actually choose to tutor me?"

Looking at Joey closely, Ms. Lancy replied, "No dear, he didn't. In fact, he was reluctant to even tutor you in the first place."

Joey didn't know why, but hearing that made him feel angry and depressed at the same time.

"So the only reason Kaiba wanted to tutor me at all was so he wouldn't flunk the class?"

"Well, yes." getting the feeling she might have said too much, Ms. Lancy changed the subject.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to send you on your way, dear. Now if you'll excuse me, I have the rest of these tests to finish grading."

Walking out into the hallway, Joey couldn't help feeling a little peeved. Here he thought they were finally getting along, and the cold-hearted prick probably didn't care if he actually learned anything at all! Kaiba just wanted to make sure _he_ was the one who wouldn't fail!

Joey's fists began clenching in anger. _'Not only does he think I'm some goddamn dog, but now he must think I can't even pass a test on my own! So getting a good grade on this stupid exam was just a lucky break for him, huh? The conniving bastard…'_

And what was the deal with this "exceptional tutor" crap? _He_ was the one doing all the work right? Why did Kaiba get all the credit just because he was the human answer sheet? Joey couldn't help the feeling the anger growing within him, but at the same time he felt a little disappointed.

Eventually reaching his locker, Joey rested his forehead against the cool metal as he became increasingly irritated. _'Well, what did you expect? He's the president of Kaiba Corp. for crying out loud. Of course he's brilliant. I'm just the stupid blond punk he was forced to tutor…he doesn't actually care if I do well.'_

"Hey Joey, how'd you do?" Tristan walked up from behind and leaned against the next locker, looking down at his friend.

"I passed." Joey said dejectedly.

"Oh…yeah…that would upset me too." Tristan stared at Joey curiously. As long as he had known, passing a test was a good thing.

"No, that's not it." Keeping his forehead against the locker, Joey turned to look at his friend. "I didn't do anything to actually earn it. Kaiba was the "exceptional tutor." Ms. Lancy was praising him like he was the greatest thing, and what was I? The failing low life he got stuck with to tutor."

"Well, what would she know? Besides, you're the one that took the test man, not Kaiba. C'mon, let's go grab a burger or something to celebrate." Trying to cheer his buddy up, Tristan grabbed Joey's arm to pull him away.

"Hey mutt, I heard the news. Congrats." Seto strode up to the blond, one hand in his jacket pocket while holding his briefcase in the other.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're very proud of yourself." Glaring at the taller man out the corner of his eye and pushing away from his locker, Joey stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Seto blinked and furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would I be proud of myself? You passed the test."

Joey felt his anger slowly increase as he narrowed his eyes further at the CEO. "Sure, thanks to you."

Setting his briefcase on the floor, Seto crossed his arms. "You have a funny way of showing gratitude, mutt."

Gritting his teeth, Joey spit out angrily, "Yes! Let's all bow down in _gratitude_ at the feet of the great Seto Kaiba! Clearly we mere underlings can't function on our own without him!"

Tristan took a step back. He knew conflicts between the two usually got pretty intense. The last thing he wanted was to be in the line of fire.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Seto was a little taken back at the blond's outburst, but hid it behind an icy glare.

"I'm talking about your little tutoring scheme! Ms. Lancy told me all about your agreement. I bet you think you're pretty smart…showing the dumb blond some math tricks just to pass the test. This wasn't about me learning anything was it? This was about _you_ covering your own ass!"

Blinking in confusion, Seto scoured his memory until he suddenly recalled the conversation he had with the older woman. Damn…the mutt kind of had a point.

"Wheeler, if I honestly believed you didn't have a chance I wouldn't have wasted my time trying to tutor you."

"Yeah, but it you hadn't tutored me, you wouldn't have graduated either! No wonder you were so _dedicated_, tutoring me in the hospital and all that crap."

Joey's eyes widened as a thought suddenly struck him, his body filling with rage.

"So _that's_ why you paid the hospital bill! You wanted to be sure that I'd feel indebted to you 'cuz you helped me out! No, you didn't want to be paid back in _money_, did ya? You _knew_ I could never afford that! You wanted me to think passing that test would _be_ my payback, right? You tricked me!"

Laying a hand on his friend's shoulder, Tristan tried to intervene. "Slow down, man. I think you're jumping to conclusions."

Joey shifted his anger-filled eyes towards the man beside him, shoving the hand off his shoulder. "Don't you get it!? He wanted to wear me down so I'd trust him! He took advantage of me!"

Seto bristled at this, but forced himself to stay composed.

"Don't be stupid, mutt. That has absolutely nothing to do with tutoring you. If you really want the satisfaction, fine, I'll admit my grade was on the line when I agreed to tutor you, but don't think for a _second_ that I tried to deceive you."

"So why'd you pay it then, Kaiba?" Joey asked, suddenly calm. "You didn't answer before. Tell me why the rich and powerful Seto Kaiba would bestow such a generous gift onto a dirt poor street punk like me." Leaning his head back and folding his arms smugly, Joey waited for the brunet to answer.

Seto realized he and the mutt had an audience, which explained Joey's smugness. He also realized that he was at a disadvantage. He knew the mutt deserved a reason, but now was not the time or the place to give it to him.

Picking up his briefcase and turning away, Seto gave Joey one last look. "Because you're not the only one with skeletons in their closet, mutt." he said at last.

Arrogance quickly deflating, Joey's expression changed to one of confusion. Kaiba was looking directly into his eyes now, causing Joey to eventually force himself to look away. Feeling slightly uncomfortable now, Joey abruptly turned in the opposite direction and began walking down the hallway, Tristan following behind him.

Seto gripped his briefcase tighter as he turned away.

"We're not so different, Wheeler." he said softly, "Despite what you may think."

* * *

"Dude, what the hell _was_ that?" Tristan took a bite out of his burger hungrily as he looked at Joey across the table. 

Joey stared at his untouched hamburger as he replayed the conversation over again in his head. "I have no idea."

"What did he mean about skeletons in the closet? You don't have some dark, secret past I don't know about do you?" Tristan smiled, trying to lighten the situation.

'_If only you knew…'_ Joey appreciated what his friend was trying to do, but he couldn't shake Kaiba's last reply from his mind. He was slightly afraid Kaiba suspected something after his hospital episode. He couldn't think why else Kaiba would make such a remark.

'_Because you're not the only one with skeletons in their closet…'_

'_So if I'm not the only one…who else has something to hide?'_

"Hey, you gonna eat that?"

Broken out of his reverie, Joey smirked at his friend. "It's all yours, man."

"Thanks."

Sliding his plate towards the tall-haired brunet, Joey turned his head to look out the window, lost in his thoughts. He felt bad now for shouting at Kaiba, but he still couldn't figure out why he got so riled up in the first place. So what if Kaiba got all the credit? As far as Joey was concerned, it was _his_ name on the test paper with the bright red "92." That should have been enough to satisfy him…right? Besides, it wasn't over yet. He still needed to pass at least one more test in order to graduate. Meaning Kaiba was still his tutor until then. Joey suddenly realized he was smiling at the prospect of spending more time with the blue-eyed CEO.

Wait.

Was…was that it? Was the fact that he wouldn't spend time with Kaiba anymore the reason he became so angry? No…no, it felt like there was something else.

'_You wanted him to care.'_

Joey blinked at the inner voice. Pondering on it, Joey realized it made sense. Before finding out about Kaiba's situation in the class with Ms. Lancy, Joey honestly felt like Kaiba was tutoring him because he _wanted_ to. Joey thought back to his time in the hospital, remembering seeing Kaiba when he woke up the day after he was hurt. From then on until he left five days later, Kaiba spent a good majority of each day at the hospital. Joey had to admit he felt kind of…privileged by the attention he was receiving from one of the most antisocial people he knew.

That must have been it. When he found out that Kaiba was only tutoring him for his own grade instead of freely choosing to do so, Joey felt…betrayed. Despite their past rivalry, Joey liked the idea that _he_ of all people was one of the few that Kaiba could actually tolerate…that Kaiba actually enjoyed being around.

'_I wanted him to care…about me.'_

Joey sighed. _'But that'll never happen.' _Blinking slowly, Joey resumed watching life go by outside the restaurant window. Eyes trailing pedestrians as they came and went, Joey eventually spotted a figure standing on the sidewalk across the street. Focusing on the figure, Joey was startled when he realized it was Kaiba…staring directly at him.

Glaring slightly at the taller man for nearly giving him a heart attack, Joey watched as Kaiba lifted his right hand, curling a finger towards himself slowly. Taking a wild guess that the CEO wanted to speak to him, Joey pushed his chair back as he stood up.

"Hey Tristan? I gotta go. I'll catch you later."

Chewing the food in his mouth, Tristan looked out the window and noticed Kaiba across the street. Eyes going back and forth from Joey to Kaiba, he finally settled back on his friend.

"Alright, but if he gives you trouble I'll kick his ass."

"Not if I kick it first." Joey grinned as he grabbed his backpack, giving a quick wave as he walked out of the restaurant.

Strolling to the nearest street corner, Joey waited for the crosswalk to signal him to enter the intersection. Eventually making it over to the opposite side of the street, Joey slowly walked up to the brunet.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Joey stopped in front of the taller man. "I knew you were a stalker."

"You were late for our tutoring session, so I had to come find you. Don't make me do that again." Narrowing his eyes in return, Seto folded his arms as he looked down at the blond.

Joey raised an eyebrow in annoyance. "And why would I want _you_ to tutor me?"

"Because both our grades are on the line, so whether you like it or not we're in this together."

"Really? Since when?"

"Since now. Get in the car."

Looking at the brunet in confusion, it was then that Joey noticed the sleek black sports car Kaiba was standing next to.

Joey raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Give me one good reason why I should trust you."

"You don't have to trust me. You wanted an explanation didn't you?"

"Yeah-"

"Fine, then get in the car."

A smile slowly spreading on his face, Joey opened the passenger door and plopped down into the seat.

Slamming the driver-side door and revving the engine, Kaiba shifted the car into gear. "We've got a lot of work to do."


	8. You're Not Alone

It's been a little while, I know. Damn summer jobs and whatnot, so I've made this a bit longer for your enjoyment. Thanks to all you wonderful reviewers out there! You guys keep me going. Now, on to the fun!

Author note: No, I do not in any way, shape, or form own Yugioh.

_**Chapter 8**_

Joey tapped his fingers on the armrest restlessly. The ride had been completely silent up to this point and it was slowly driving him insane.

Finally fed up, Joey reached his hand towards the radio dial. He quickly retracted it when it was harshly slapped away.

"What was that for? I just wanted some music."

Seto moved his hand back to the steering wheel.

"My car. My rules."

"Do you enjoy driving yourself crazy then?"

Seto raised an eyebrow. "No, I'm just not a fan of music."

Joey rolled his eyes. "Well _there's_ a shocker."

"We have our preferences, mutt. The silence allows me to think, but I realize that's not something you're accustomed to doing."

"Shut up Kaiba!" Joey turned to glare at the CEO.

"Ah, but you don't deny it do you?" Seto replied, chuckling to himself.

"Quit it! Now tell me whatever the hell you wanted to say or I'll…I'll jump out of this car!"

Braking suddenly, Seto turned to look at the blond.

"Fine, then jump. It won't do you much good, though."

Raising an eyebrow in question, Joey turned around and looked out the window. Crap…how was it possible he missed parking in front of _that?_

"I trust you remember my humble abode?" Shutting off the car, Kaiba smirked as he stepped out onto the driveway.

'_How did we get here so fast??'_ Growling slightly, Joey stepped out and slammed the door angrily. He leaned back slightly to take in the entirety of the mansion's immense entranceway, but had to squint when the sun suddenly hit his eyes.

Blinking rapidly, he was suddenly jolted back to reality when a distinct _'Slam!'_ sounded in front of him. Joey looked at the door, speechless.

'_He wouldn't…'_

Running up and rattling the doorknob, Joey let out a frustrated yell.

"Kaiba you _bastard_!! Open the goddamned door!!" he exploded, kicking the door with his foot.

"Is that any way to talk to your host?"

Joey looked around. He couldn't tell where the voice was coming from, but it sounded like it was coming from some kind of intercom. Glancing up to his right, Joey finally spotted a high-tech security camera pointing directly at him.

"You think this is funny Kaiba?" Joey growled, narrowing his eyes at the camera.

Seto watched the blond from the security monitor. Yes, in fact, he _did_ find the situation entertaining and surprised himself when he realized he was laughing.

'_He's…he's laughing.'_ Mokuba peered into his brother's bedroom. As much as he wanted to share in this rare moment, he hoped it would last if he didn't interrupt. Walking back into his own bedroom, Mokuba kept his door slightly ajar and continued to listen.

"Oh yeah, laugh it up moneybags." This was getting ridiculous. Joey rolled his eyes as he leaned his back against the front door. Ok, fine, he fell for it…again. Yet, as far as he was concerned, the joke had worn itself out a _long_ time ago.

Hearing a quick _'click', _Joey yelped in surprise as he suddenly felt himself falling backwards. Flinching as he landed hard on the marble floor, Joey peeked open an eye to see the amused face of Seto Kaiba staring down at him.

"A two second warning next time would be nice." Joey rubbed the back of his head as he sat up. At this point, he wasn't even going to _begin_ to wonder how Kaiba got to the door so fast.

"You wouldn't have needed it if you had better reaction time." Still holding open the door, Seto continued to smirk down at the blond.

"Oh ha ha ha." Joey rolled his eyes while reaching out a hand. "You could at least help me up."

"I could, but that doesn't mean I _want_ to."

"Just help me up." Joey snapped, shaking his outstretched hand in frustration.

Sighing as he rolled his eyes, Seto grudgingly reached down and roughly yanked Joey to his feet. He didn't expect that he'd pull too hard, causing the blond to slam into his chest. Struggling to avoid falling over, Seto quickly grabbed both of Joey's elbows to steady himself.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. A deafening silence hung in the air as both men struggled to decide what to do next. The rather compromising situation they were in was awkward enough, yet neither seemed bothered by it. Joey's hands were widespread across Kaiba's back, allowing him to feel the firm muscles underneath the brunet's shirt. Breathing in, he could almost taste the distinct spicy scent of the taller man's cologne, and felt increasingly relaxed. He was captivated by it…wishing he could just close his eyes and drift away.

The mutt's thick blond hair tickled Seto's nose, but he had to stop himself from running his hand through the unexpectedly smooth strands. It was bad enough his hands had somehow moved down from the shorter man's elbows to his waist. He exhaled slowly when he realized he was holding his breath, causing his nerves to spike when he felt the blond under him shudder slightly. Slowly bringing his head back, Seto found himself looking deeply into soft, chocolate-brown eyes.

Staring back into intense sapphire eyes, Joey could sense their faces moving in closer. His breath increased rapidly when he realized he and Seto's lips were only a hair's width apart. Slowly beginning to close his eyes, Joey's heart fluttered when he saw Seto do the same. His lips quivered in anticipation, waiting…

_CRASH!!_

Joey and Seto immediately shot apart. Looking quickly towards the staircase, a blue and white china vase lay in pieces beside the bottom step. The stand it had originally been placed on still teetered back and forth, trying to regain its equilibrium. A door to the left of the staircase was ajar, the distinct sound of running footsteps becoming increasingly faint.

"Mokuba! Mokuba, wait!" Seto sprinted towards the open door, chasing after the footsteps he knew belonged to his younger brother.

Joey stood awkwardly in the empty entranceway. Putting his fingers to his lips and tapping them slowly, Joey tried to wrap his mind around what just happened. He wanted to be angry with himself, disgusted even.

'_I almost kissed Kaiba for crying out loud! Kaiba: the rich, anti-social, _male,_ workaholic! What the hell is _wrong_ with me??'_

Joey had never considered himself gay. True, he hadn't really put much thought in the matter, but as far as he could remember he was just as girl obsessed as any other guy. Yet as hard as he tried, he couldn't find anything…wrong with being that close to Kaiba. The fact that he was almost making out with the guy certainly confirmed that point.

"You must be Joey Wheeler."

Whipping his head around, Joey was startled when he saw an older, dark haired woman standing a few feet away from him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, dear." she said, smiling warmly. "My name is Martha. I'm the head housekeeper."

"Oh…hi." Joey replied, offering a lopsided smile.

"Can I get you something to drink, dear? It seems you and Mr. Kaiba had quite an ordeal." Martha said with a twinkle in her eye.

Joey could feel his entire face heating up. Great, who _else_ saw them? Quickly glancing away, Joey spotted something out of the corner of his eye just above him. Turning to look, his face suddenly blanched.

'_Damn cameras…'_

* * *

"Mokuba stop!" Despite clearly underestimating his brother's speed, Seto finally caught up to him outside his bedroom door. 

"Listen, Mokuba. It wasn't what it looked like. I'm sorry, I-" Seto couldn't continue. He figured Mokuba would be upset, but he wasn't expecting the expression on his little brother's face when he turned to look at him. He was…smiling?

"I'm the one who should be sorry, big brother." Mokuba said, a mischievous grin on his face. "I didn't mean to ruin the moment."

A slight blush spread across Seto's cheeks. Quickly turning on the defensive, he narrowed his eyes at the ebony-haired boy in front of him.

"There was no 'moment', as you call it. The mutt couldn't even maintain his balance, that's all. Nothing happened."

"Yeah, thanks to me." Mokuba rolled his eyes in disappointment. "If I hadn't knocked over that stupid vase, you would've-"

"Done absolutely _nothing_. You're reading too far into this little brother." Seto continued to glare. If he wasn't ready to admit what could've happened, there was no way in hell he'd let his younger brother beat him to it.

"No I'm not! Don't you realize the way you act around him?" Mokuba yelled out in frustration. Seto was so stubborn sometimes he wanted to smack him.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're _happy_ when you're around him! I heard you laughing in your room earlier. Be honest, when was the last time you actually _laughed_?"

"That's not the point Mokuba. Besides, if you were up here, how did you even know I was downstairs in the front foyer?"

Mokuba shrugged his shoulders. "I watched you from the security monitors."

Seto blinked.

'_Damn cameras…'_

* * *

Joey kicked the loose cobblestones as he walked down the driveway. He didn't feel any need to stick around at this point. After politely declining Martha's generous hospitality, Joey decided to leave a message with her for Kaiba. He needed time to think right now. He could deal with the CEO in person later. 

Walking into the park, Joey strolled until he found his favorite cherry blossom tree. He still hadn't been home since before going to the hospital, but the particular tree he now sat under came in handy at his most desperate times. Very few people walked this far into the park, and the bushes around the tree created the perfect camouflage for say…a homeless student with no place to sleep.

Joey knew he had to go back at some point, however. As much as he didn't mind walking around in the same uniform for the rest of the year, Joey figured his friends probably wouldn't feel the same. Heaving a sigh, Joey pushed himself off the ground and walked the familiar route to his apartment.

As the sun started to set, Joey knew he needed to pick up the pace. He had reached the general neighborhood of his apartment building, but after dusk that area got pretty dangerous. Jogging up to the fire escape, Joey yanked down the ladder and quickly ascended to his window. Lifting the window carefully, Joey climbed in and flopped onto his bed. He knew he should probably check to see if his father was home, but weariness had finally begun to take its toll. He closed his eyes as he sank into the mattress, soon falling asleep.

_(Dream sequence)_

_Joey looked around curiously. He was walking down a long empty hallway with closed doors lining both sides. Reaching out to grab the nearest doorknob, Joey quickly withdrew his hand when it burned him. He felt the door and found it to be just as hot. Backing away, Joey turned to try another door. Reaching for the doorknob, he paused. Moving his hand to feel the door instead, Joey was surprised when it, too, was hot._

_All of a sudden, smoke began pouring out from under each door. Stepping back, Joey began to cough violently as it quickly filled the hallway. He tried running away, but it seemed to follow him everywhere. Struggling to breathe, Joey cried out when a piercing pain suddenly spread throughout the entire left side of his body. He looked down but couldn't find anything wrong. The pain, however, was excruciating._

"_Someone help!! Make it stop!!" he yelled out._

"Help me!!" Joey shot up from his bed frantically. Whipping his head from left to right, he immediately panicked.

His room was on _fire_.

Looking directly to the left side of his body, Joey screamed. The fire had caught onto his school jacket, burning right through to his skin. Ripping it off quickly and throwing it away, Joey hissed at the blood that covered him from his chest to his hip.

"About time you woke up."

Looking up at the voice, Joey's eyes widened. His father was leaning against the door frame…holding a can of gasoline.

"Dad what-" Joey was forced to stop as he began coughing uncontrollably. He continued looking around frantically as the flames continued to rise.

"You weren't supposed to come back, boy." The elder Wheeler narrowed his eyes as he spoke in a dangerously low tone.

Joey stared at his father in disbelief. The utter betrayal he felt overpowered his ability to speak, but he knew he couldn't deny it anymore. He finally understood. All this time…all these years…his father felt nothing for him. Up until now, Joey still clung to the belief that despite his father's violent behavior, the elder man still cared for him. His hand at his side, Joey felt the tears slowly roll down his eyes. Blinking to clear his vision, Joey looked at his hand and watched as the blood dripped from his fingers. What was the point anymore? He had no family. He had no one.

Joey was distracted when he heard sirens outside. Looking back at the growing blaze, he started making his way towards the window to escape. He suddenly froze when a shot rang through the air.

"I didn't say you could leave." The older man hissed, pointing the gun in his hand directly at his son.

Joey slowly backed away in horror. This couldn't be happening. The fire had now spread onto his mattress, leaving nowhere else for Joey to go. Looking from the flames to the end of his father's gun, Joey made up his mind. He needed to get out of there _now_ and he'd be damned if he was just going to sit there in the middle of an inferno.

Taking one last look at his father, Joey made a jump for the window. The shot fired barely registered in Joey's ear as his right shoulder exploded in pain. Stumbling out onto the fire escape, Joey wasted no time in bounding down the ladder. Despite his entire upper body throbbing in excruciating pain, the adrenaline and natural instinct to survive pushed him forward.

Running towards the flashing lights and sirens, Joey could feel his legs start to go weak underneath him. He had to find someone, anyone, before he passed out. His right hand against his burnt side, Joey reached out with his left hand to the nearest person he could see. He smiled in relief when a man turned and saw him. Joey couldn't see his face clearly but felt comforted by the strong arms that caught him as he collapsed.

"Thank you." he said, finally falling unconscious.

Seto looked at the blond in his arms. Slowly lowering his head, he placed a gentle kiss against Joey's forehead.

"I'll always be here for you Joey. You're not alone." he said softly.


	9. A New Development

I apologize for the long wait; my internet connection has been crapping out on me for the last few days. On the bright side, I had a little more time to write and thus give the next chapter for your enjoyment!

A/N: don't own Yu-gi-oh...which is probably a good thing.

_**Chapter 9**_

Seto slowly opened his eyes. He blinked tiredly as rested his chin on his palm. Keeping his elbow propped on the armrest, he shifted in the chair he was currently occupying, trying to find a more comfortable position. Looking down at the bed beside him, Seto watched the gentle rise and fall of the sleeping blond's chest. The room was completely silent except for the shorter man's rhythmic breathing, but it was a comforting sound nonetheless. Shifting his gaze to the opposite wall, Seto mused over the last few days. This scene felt all too familiar. It wasn't that long ago that the mutt had been released from the hospital the first time. At least this time, however, Seto had been able to persuade the doctors to allow Joey to stay and be treated at the mansion. Seto had every confidence in the on-site medical staff he employed in his home and assured the hospital that he would be well taken care of. The fact that this situation also allowed him to shamelessly watch over the blond was just a bonus.

Seto could feel himself drifting off to sleep again, but perked up when he heard a soft moan beside him. Looking quickly back to the bed, he watched as Joey squeezed his eyes closed tighter before slowly opening them. Seto couldn't read the younger man's expression, as his face was turned the other way, but continued to watch him as he awoke.

Joey closed his eyes again in protest. He didn't want to wake up. Last night's events still waged a war of memories in his head, and waking up meant being forced to remember that face...that cruel look of hatred. Joey still had trouble wrapping his mind around the previous evening. His father had tried to kill him…_kill_ him. In addition to that disturbing little fact, _everything_ he owned was in that room. Now, all of it was quite literally up in smoke.

He shook his head in an effort to fend off the unsettling images, but flinched at the sudden surge of pain spreading across his upper body. Joey could feel the tears welling up, but he wasn't sure if they were tears of pain or sadness. He began to fidget a little as the bandages around his torso became increasingly uncomfortable. Joey could already feel the growing heat from his burnt skin permeate through them and the thin button-down shirt he was wearing. It felt worse than any sunburn he'd ever had in his life.

As the pain slowly became somewhat more bearable, it took a couple of seconds for Joey to realize something wasn't right. Peeking open an eye, he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he looked around. This wasn't the hospital by any means, but it looked oddly familiar. The blue and white theme of the sheets and walls rang a bell, giving Joey a distinct feeling of déjà vu. He buried his face into the nearest pillow as he tried to concentrate, and noted the faintest trace of cologne in the fabric. Joey racked his brain to place the scent…he knew that smell…

'_Wait a minute.'_

"Comfy are we?"

Joey's eyes burst open at the voice. He turned his head around sharply, but instantly regretted it as the sudden movement only served to aggravate his injuries.

"Not particularly, but thanks for asking." he replied, once he could speak. Rolling his eyes as he leaned his head back, Joey exhaled slowly. Of course it was Kaiba. It was _always_ Kaiba. Joey wondered briefly whether Fate enjoyed tormenting him like this. All those years he spent building up his hard ass reputation was now gone in one fail swoop…well, actually two. Not only had Kaiba seen him reduced to a puddle of tears, but now he knew about the psychopath family he came from.

Sighing in resignation, Joey figured he should just accept the fact that he'd probably never have one ounce of pride again. Especially not with Kaiba having to save his ass on a regular basis.

"You're welcome." Seto inwardly sighed in relief. He could see the pain on the shorter man's face, but the fact that he responded easily was reassuring. Despite his current situation, Seto had to admit the mutt's tolerance for pain was admirable. "Feel any better?" he asked, smirking down at the blond.

Joey looked at the brunet in annoyance.

"I've been shot in the shoulder and burned to my waist. I feel just dandy."

Reaching out his hand, Seto gently placed it against the younger man's forehead.

"Well you do feel a little warm, mutt."

"Warm!? I'm burning up here!" Joey swatted the hand away angrily. What he would _give_ for some kind of ice pack. As much as he secretly appreciated it, Joey had had enough of Kaiba making light of the situation. He was hurting like hell right now.

"Calm down, pup. If you just asked nicely, I could help."

Joey glared at the CEO. "Why am I even here anyway? Shouldn't I be back at the hospital?"

Seto shrugged slightly. "If you want I can take you there, or would you rather I drop you off at what remains of your apartment?"

Joey looked away. "Low blow, man."

Seto blinked. He meant to be practical, not insulting, but quickly realized his blunder.

"I'm sorry, mutt. I didn't mean it that way."

Joey kept his head turned. "If you want to be sorry, quit calling me that."

Raising an eyebrow in amusement, Seto silently leaned forward in his chair. He smirked as he brought his lips close to the blond's ear.

"So what should I call you then?" he whispered huskily.

Joey yelped as he jumped back in surprise. "Don't _do_ that!"

Seto couldn't help chuckling at the blush spreading across the blond's face. He stopped abruptly, however, when Joey took a sharp intake of breath, his face contorted in pain. Reaching his hand across the shorter man's torso, Seto gently felt the left side of his chest. He was shocked at the intense heat he felt through the mutt's shirt, pulling his hand away as if _he'd_ been burned.

Seto looked sympathetically at the blond. Wordlessly, he reached out and undid the first button of Joey's shirt, eliciting a shocked gasp from the shorter man.

"What the hell are you _doing_?" Joey quickly pulled his shirt closed, looking up at the brunet with wide eyes.

Seto let out a low groan of frustration. Putting his hand into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a slim plastic tube marked with a prescription label. He held it in front of the blond, as if to prove his innocence, while raising a delicate eyebrow in obvious annoyance.

"Mutt, if you would learn to shut up once in a while, I could explain. Now," he said, swinging the tube slightly, "this is a prescribed ointment that acts as a temporary painkiller and agent in treating your burn. I realize it must be excruciating to move in your current condition, which led me to believe you would appreciate help. Of course, I can understand if you would rather sit here withering in pain, but I thought you a bit less masochistic than that." Dropping the tube onto the bed, Seto sat back as he waited for Joey to respond. _'Seriously…why do I even bother?'_

Looking at the tube while turning red with embarrassment, Joey finally raised his eyes to look at the brunet.

"Fine, whatever. Just…just don't do anything weird."

Seto rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "Like what?"

Joey could feel the growing heat on his cheeks, trying to force down the blush he knew was already there. "N-nothing, never mind."

Rolling his eyes again, Seto leaned forward once more and reached for the blond's shirt. Undoing each of the buttons carefully, he tried not to notice his fingers beginning to tremble nervously, or the heat that was slowly creeping into his own face. Seto mentally shook his head, telling himself to get a grip. This was the _mutt_ after all, so why was he acting this way?

Pushing the sides of the shirt open after undoing all of the buttons, Seto reached for a small pair of scissors from the bedside table to cut the bandages. Taking extreme care, Seto began cutting slowly, making sure the blades didn't hit the tender skin underneath.

Joey watched silently as Kaiba worked, his heartbeat going a mile a minute. He prayed to whatever god was out there that Kaiba wouldn't notice his quickening pulse, and tried thinking of something, _anything_, to distract himself.

Laying the scissors back down gently on the table, Seto slowly began peeling back the bandages. He heard Joey whimper slightly, as some of the bandages had stuck to his skin, but continued to pull them off carefully. Once all of the old bandages had been removed, Seto made a quick assessment of Joey's injuries, hissing slightly at the sight of the blond's side.

The damaged skin was an angry red color. A yellowish, puss-like fluid was seeping out in certain places where the burn was more intense, while dried blood served as scabs over the less tender pink skin around the edges. Despite the gruesomeness of the sight, however, the mutt had been incredibly lucky. The doctors back at the hospital assessed that none of the muscle underneath had been damaged, even at the worst of the injury. There would still be some significant recovery time, of course, but Seto had been assured by the doctors that Joey would heal just fine.

Moving his eyes up the blond's chest, Seto could still make out the faint scar from the mutt's surgery after cracking his rib cage. Continuing upwards and taking a quick glance at Joey's right shoulder, Seto made a mental note to re-bandage that as well.

Despite the stinging sensation from his tender skin, Joey was extremely grateful to be rid of the constricting bandages. He could finally feel the cool air that was circulating the room and felt invigorated by it. He closed his eyes as he felt the sting begin to fade, but opened them wide in shock when he felt something heavy and distinctly wet touch his side.

Joey hadn't even noticed that Kaiba had left momentarily, but didn't say anything as he watched the brunet clean his side with the wet washcloth.

"How do you do that?" he asked eventually, trying not to wince at the added pressure against his burn.

Seto looked up briefly. "Do what?"

"Just move around all quietly like that, without making a sound. I didn't hear you leave at all, let alone come back."

"Clearly you have some hearing issues, mutt. That's not my fault." Seto replied, smirking at the blond.

Joey felt his temper rising quickly. "Shut up! All I ask is a simple question and you still insult me!" Joey narrowed his eyes intently, wanting to wipe that stupid smirk off the brunet's face.

"Of course. You are currently a guest in my house, in my bedroom, in my _bed_. I must have a say in something if I allow you to stay here, and thus choose to make fun of you." Seto placed the washcloth to the side of the bed, amused at watching the mutt get riled up.

Joey looked away. "Control freak." he muttered.

Choosing to ignore the comment, Seto picked up the ointment tube and unscrewed the lid. He squeezed a pea-sized amount onto his middle finger before setting it carefully on the bedside table.

"Now do you think you can hold still for five minutes or do I need to put a leash on you?"

Joey whipped his head back to glare at the CEO, but said nothing.

Taking that as his cue, Seto brought down his hand and lightly touched his finger to the blond's skin. He instantly felt the muscles under his fingertip quiver, and was surprised when his own nerves spiked in return. He felt the ointment warm rapidly from the heated flesh, but continued to spread it slowly in a circular motion.

Every muscle in Joey's body was tense. He stared straight up at the ceiling as he tried to remain perfectly still, but his body clearly had other ideas. Each touch sent shivers reverberating within him. Controlling his breathing suddenly became hard to do, and Joey was torn between letting Kaiba continue and yelling at him to stop. Soon Joey couldn't even distinguish where the heat was coming from—his skin or Kaiba's finger. He closed his eyes tightly in an attempt to distract himself, with little result.

Seto noticed that Joey had shut his eyes, and hoped he wasn't in pain. Even so, Seto took the given opportunity to study the blond. His face looked tense, and was partially hidden by a clump of thick blond hair. The tips of the mutt's bangs just grazed at his eyelids, which led Seto to notice that he also had long, light brown eyelashes that gracefully brushed against his cheekbones.

Blue eyes continued to travel down the shorter man's face, taking in smooth, lightly tanned skin, a distinct jaw line, and a full, soft mouth. Without realizing it, Seto found that he was mere inches from Joey's face, vision still focused on the blond's slightly parted lips.

Joey furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the sudden loss of contact. Opening his eyes slowly, he found himself looking directly into cobalt blue orbs. He couldn't look away, and felt increasingly drawn into the eyes of the man hovering above him. Joey struggled to decide what to do, his mind screaming to move away but his body oddly content with the situation.

Seto was also raging a war within himself. He could see the evident surprise in Joey's eyes, and was therefore waiting for him to move away. When he didn't, Seto couldn't find the will to do so either. His logical side, however, soon kicked in. Suddenly a million reasons why he should, no _needed_ to, back away from this filled his mind.

"I'm sorry. I—" Seto began, slowly moving back.

Joey quickly reached out to grip the brunet's shirt, successfully cutting him off. Slowly bringing his face closer, Joey placed a tentative kiss on Seto's lips. Timidly pulling away, Joey looked up into questioning blue eyes.

He smiled lopsidedly at the brunet's expression. "Can you hold still for five minutes, or do I need to put a leash on you?"

Seto blinked in surprise, but slowly his mouth formed into a genuine smile.

"Do you have to talk so much, mutt?"

Bringing a hand up to gently cup Joey's face, Seto promptly closed the distance between their lips. Tilting his head slightly to deepen the kiss, Seto felt all his previous insecurities slip away. His hand eventually moved from Joey's face to run through soft, blond locks, loving the smooth feeling as they glided through his fingers.

Joey moaned softly at the delicate fingers running through his hair. He slowly began leaning back down on the bed, bringing Seto with him. No longer needing to hold himself up, Joey shifted to wrap his arms around the brunet's torso, pulling him closer.

Breaking the kiss and moving away from Joey's now swollen lips, Seto began trailing soft kisses along his jaw line. Eventually reaching the crook of Joey's neck, Seto nipped at the sensitive area behind his earlobe, eliciting a moan of pleasure from the blond. Encouraged by the sound, Seto moved his hand from Joey's hair to his shoulder. Pressing down slightly, Seto was surprised when the blond underneath him suddenly pushed him away.

"Wrong…shoulder…" Joey said through gritted teeth, eyes clenched tight.

Seto quickly realized his mistake. Taking a deep breath to clear his head, he slowly pushed himself off the bed.

"I'm sorry. Let me go get some more bandages for that." he said, staring at the floor awkwardly.

Joey nodded silently, unsure of what to say. Watching Kaiba move towards the door, he bit his lip as he tried to come with something to break the uncomfortable atmosphere. Unable to think of anything, Joey could only watch as Kaiba walked out and closed the door gently.

'_Smooth Joey…real smooth.'_

* * *

Seto walked down the hall slowly, reflecting on what had just occurred. Questions instantly flooded his mind, one coming after another but none really answered. First and foremost, he wanted to berate himself for losing his self control that quickly. It unnerved him. He was always in control—_always_—and nothing before had ever caused him to lose his focus, no matter what, or who, it was. Second of all, how was it that Joey Wheeler of all people ended up being the one to do so? Hadn't they always been rivals? They were both _guys_ after all, so what did that mean? Seto hadn't considered his sexual orientation before, seeing as he was rather unsocial, but he had certainly never entertained the idea that he might be gay…until now. 

Thinking back to his room, Seto recalled Joey's first timid kiss. It didn't last long, but the simple contact alone felt different than anything Seto had felt before. There was also something in the blond's eyes that Seto had never seen. It was a challenging, yet almost self-conscious, look. It wasn't the same look the mutt had whenever they fought…there was a sense of wanting behind it.

Seto paused as he looked down the stairway below him. Did _he_ want this? He'd never let someone get this close to him, so did he want to risk this chance? Sure, he _tolerated_ the blond, but did he actually like him?

'_Yes.'_

The thought was out before he had the chance to stop it. Seto blinked, trying to find something to contradict it, but realized it was a losing battle. Alright, he liked the mutt. There, he said it…but it still didn't justify _kissing_ him for crying out loud. Seto placed a finger against his lips, surprised at how easily he remembered the feeling of the blond's lips on his own. He thought fleetingly of turning back, but mentally slapped himself and forced his body to stay put. Even so, Seto couldn't quite hide the wide grin spreading on his face.

Suddenly, a long, loud gong-like sound reverberated through the mansion. Jolted out of his reverie, Seto quickly made his way to the foyer to answer the front door, the smile still on his face.

Swiftly opening the door, his expression instantly fell. Instead, it rapidly contorted into a deep look of hatred.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

* * *

Check it out, a cliffhanger. Review if you want more! 


	10. Kinsley

Yes, yes it's been a good number of months since my last update. Life gets in the way in that respect. Anywho, hope you enjoy and remember...reviews keep me going!

A/N: Don't own 'Yu-gi-oh!', but there's a crapload of other stuff I _do _own. Off topic, however. Onward!

_**Chapter 10 - Kinsley**_

Seto glared daggers at the man in front of him. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?"

The man smirked. "What? Don't I at least deserve a hello?" he asked, feigning surprise.

"You don't deserve anything from me. I fired you for a reason, Kinsley."

"Yes, which brings me here." Kinsley removed the glasses he was wearing, holding them up to the sunlight before gently replacing them back on his face. He was just about Seto's height with short, jet black hair and intense green eyes.

Seto crossed his arms as he looked over the man. "The idea of firing someone is so that they _leave_, not come back."

"Indeed." the older man replied distractedly, examining his fingernails.

Seto took the paused moment to quickly assess his former employee further. Adrian Kinsley was around his early to mid-thirties, but a brilliant scientist despite his age. He had a long history in the Kaiba Corporation, having been the head of the Information Technology sector back when the company was still run by Seto's stepfather, Gozaburo Kaiba. After Seto took over as the new president, Kinsley remained in IT but oddly kept his distance. He, in fact, was responsible for much of the computer based technology used in the Duel Monsters duel disks and virtual equipment, but never seemed to show much interest in his inventions. Seto had no previous qualms with the man, despite the lack of passion in his work, until a few months ago when he found Kinsley had been embezzling company funds. When the older man wouldn't confess what the stolen money was for, Kaiba promptly sued him for the crime and unceremoniously threw him out of the company.

Seto raised an eyebrow in obvious annoyance. "If you seem to understand the concept, then I find no adequate reason for your being here."

The elder man looked up, raising an eyebrow in return. "Don't try to impress me with elaborate language Seto," he replied, smirking slightly, "I'm the one who taught it to you."

Cobalt eyes narrowed. "If you're not going to explain why you're here, kindly get the hell off my property."

"Still straight to the point I see. Well then, pleasant conversation aside, I've come to negotiate." Kinsley looked past Seto into the mansion, almost expecting to be let inside.

Seto stood his ground on the threshold. "What could you possibly have to negotiate with? The money you stole from my company?"

Green eyes quickly returned to look at the young CEO. "Times have changed, Seto. I thought you better than to hold a grudge."

"Did you now?" Seto tried not to laugh. "Well, forgive me if I don't welcome you back with open arms. I'm afraid I'm still a little sore from losing five million dollars, no thanks to you."

Kinsley just shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm sorry to hear it. What's passed has passed, however, and I have come wanting to look towards the future."

Seto could feel his temper simmering. Did this guy honestly believe shoving the past aside would change anything? He continued to narrow his eyes, but now looked over the man in front of him with suspicion. Kinsley was obviously after something, and he'd be damned if he was going to give him any kind of chance in getting it.

"Well, I'm afraid your efforts are wasted." Seto finally replied, taking a step forward to try to force the dark haired man out the door. "You have no future here. Now get out."

The sound of pounding footsteps approached suddenly, causing both men to turn and watch as Mokuba wheeled around the corner.

"Hey Seto, who's at the—" Mokuba began, but stopped short. His eyes widened briefly as he unconsciously took a step backwards.

Seto looked at his brother's expression with confusion, missing the smirk that crossed Kinsley's face behind him. The look in Mokuba's eyes turned to one of horror as he stared at the green-eyed man. Then, without warning, he quickly spun around and sprinted out of the room.

"Well…that was certainly interesting." Kinsley said, a slight chuckle in his voice. "You are taking care of him properly, aren't you? Granted, the time you spend running this company instead of caring for him must have an effect on his social interaction. Especially if he runs at the sight of guests." Kinsley's eyes twinkled in mockery.

Seto whipped around to glare at the older man. "First of all, you are no guest here." He replied coldly. "Secondly, my brother is clearly mature enough to distinguish good company from bad given his response to you. Therefore, I have no reservations about his "social interaction" as you call it."

Kinsley simply waved the response away, as if it were an annoying fly buzzing around his ear. "I can see that any further discussion with you today is fruitless, and I am sorry for it."

Seto smirked in subtle triumph. "For all your supposed brilliance, you sure don't catch on very quickly."

Now it was Kinsley's turn to glare. "That doesn't mean I have given up. I don't think you realize how fortunate you were to have me in your employment."

Seto raised one eyebrow. "Do you mean before or after you stole from me?"

Kinsley's fists clenched for a moment, but he retained his composure. "Mark my words, Seto Kaiba. You will regret the day you fired me."

Sapphire eyes bore into emerald in defiance. "I haven't so far. I'm not expecting to anytime soon."

Both men stood in silence for a moment, staring each other down. Then, with one swift motion, Kinsley turned on his heel and walked down the stone entranceway. Seto watched the man leave for a brief instant, before spinning on his own heel and slamming the door closed. With a flick of his wrist, the brass lock flipped with a satisfying "click", locking the door securely. Seto took a second to revel in his victory before setting his mind to the new task at hand. He had seen the look on Mokuba's face, and didn't like it at all. They needed to talk. Now.

Set on his decision, Seto made his way back upstairs. Upon nearing his bedroom, he could hear voices talking lightly with the occasional burst of laughter. He felt a growing thankfulness toward the blond currently occupying his bed for he knew the laughter he heard was his brother's. Reaching the door, he peeked in slightly and watched Mokuba talk animatedly about something, using his hands to emphasize his point. Joey watched with an amused look on his face, laughing softly at the younger boy's antics.

For a brief moment, Seto felt of pang of jealousy. Watching his brother become more enthralled in the conversation brought back Kinsley's mocking words…"_Granted, the time you spend running this company instead of caring for him…"_ He tried in vain to purge the conversation from his memory, but through his stubbornness he knew Kinsley was right. And he absolutely hated to admit it. Pushing the door open forcefully, more as a distraction than anything else, Seto swiftly strode into the room. When the two looked up in fright at the sudden noise, Seto instantly regretted his actions, as well as the awkward atmosphere he had now created.

"Uh, hey." Joey began nervously; uncertainty in his eyes.

Seto wanted to smack himself. Hadn't he been kissing the mutt less than an hour ago? The memory felt so far away, yet for some reason he felt a warm sensation slowly spreading throughout his body as he looked at the blond. Seto wished his brother wasn't in the room at that particular moment, but he knew even if he wasn't this was not the time to try to relive that memory.

Attempting to break the tension, Seto offered a small smile. "Hey yourself. You haven't been corrupting my brother with your nonsense, have you?"

Joey tried to glare at the brunet, but found it difficult to hide the smirk forming on his lips. "I'm not corrupting him. If anything, it's the other way around. You _have_ told Mokuba there's a life outside Nintendo, right? He's been talking about video games for the past ten minutes."

Seto knew Joey meant it as a joke, but he felt stung nonetheless. Was that all Mokuba did when he wasn't around? Waste away in front of the television? With a slight shock, Seto suddenly realized he had no idea what Mokuba's hobbies were.

Trying to play along, Seto smirked halfheartedly back. "Of course he knows there's a life outside Nintendo. It's called Kaiba Corp. Our technology is ten times better anyway."

As Joey rolled his eyes, Seto struggled to find some memory of when he and Mokuba were younger. What did they used to do together? Certainly there must have been something…

Joey was now sitting up, using the headboard to lean back against. His injuries still twinged, but they were more bearable now than before. He had gotten the chance to look over them himself when Kaiba left, and he had to admit they were worse then even he could've imagined. They only looked bad, though, Joey assessed. The initial pain he had felt upon waking was more of a dull sore at this point, which he was grateful for, so the injuries themselves weren't as serious as he previously believed.

It took a couple seconds, but Joey suddenly noticed the deafening silence in the room. Looking back up at the brunet, he was surprised to see an intense look of worry on the CEO's face. He was clearly deep in thought, and Joey knew from previous experience not to try to interrupt him. Glancing back towards Mokuba, Joey did a double take when he realized the boy was no longer there. He quickly scoured the room, but found no trace of him. Damn, what was _with_ the Kaiba disappearing act?

"Mokuba?" Joey tried. He wasn't expecting an answer if the ebony haired boy really had left, but the name alone seemed to jolt the elder Kaiba out of his reverie.

Seto looked at the blond in mild confusion, still coming out of his daze. Suddenly noticing the silence as well, he copied Joey's movements in searching the room for his brother. Coming up empty handed, Seto glanced at the blond briefly.

"I should find Mokuba. If you need anything, the phone there connects you to the wait staff. Excuse me."

Joey watched the brunet leave with long, swift steps. He vaguely sensed something was up, but if it was on a family level, Joey knew it wasn't his place to get involved.

Walking briskly down the hall to his brother's bedroom, Seto stopped and stood for a brief second before quietly knocking on the door. Not receiving an answer right away, he made to knock once more. Before his fist made contact, however, the door slowly opened with a hesitant Mokuba peering out from the other side.

Seto blinked in mild confusion. "May I come in?" he asked, a little hesitant as well.

"S-Sure." Mokuba replied. Opening the door wider to allow his brother entrance, Mokuba made his way back to his bed. He pressed the 'Pause' button on the game he was currently playing as he moved to sit cross-legged near the headboard.

Seto sat at the foot of the bed, facing his brother. Not expecting much more of a greeting, he got right to the point.

"Mokuba, I noticed your reaction to Kinsley earlier. Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

Mokuba looked down, finding his hands sitting in his lap rather fascinating.

"No." he said finally. "It's just I was surprised to see him. I only remember him from when…Gozaburo…was alive."

Mokuba had always had trouble talking about their previous stepfather. To say the man was unpleasant would have been an understatement. After Seto took over the company, Mokuba rarely even mentioned him at all, let alone used his name. Seto thought it was for the best, actually. What little memory his younger brother had of the man was too much as it was.

"Well, you'll never see him again if he knows what's good for him." Seto replied. "He is not, and never will be, a part of this company again." He added a small smile, trying to coax his brother out of his defensiveness.

Mokuba offered a lopsided smile in return. He knew his brother was only trying to help, and he was grateful for it. Suddenly, he reached out to hug the elder Kaiba. Burying his face in the brunet's torso, Mokuba hoped this would be enough to let his brother know he was okay.

Seto was a little taken aback at the unexpected physical contact. With a sudden shame, he realized he couldn't recall the last time he had hugged his younger brother. Taking the opportunity, he wrapped his arms around the ebony-haired boy firmly. Pulling Mokuba closer, Seto hoped this would be enough to let his brother know _they_ were okay.

* * *

Somewhere across the city, piercing green eyes looked out from a backseat window. Taking a quick glance at his chauffeur, Kinsley put up the divider to close himself off from the front seat of his private car. Pulling a cell phone from his chest pocket, Kinsley quickly punched in a phone number and pressed the device to his ear. 

"Kinsley, we've been waiting for your call." A male voice spoke once the connection was made.

"This may take longer than we had originally planned." Kinsley replied, keeping his voice low. "But I think I've found a way to fix that."

"Oh?" The voice asked, intrigued.

Kinsley smirked. "It seems the younger Kaiba and I still have a little history."

"You mean he remembers?"

"Oh yes, he remembers." Kinsley grinned wickedly. "And that's what we can use to our advantage."

A dark laugh could be heard from the other end as Kinsley snapped his cell phone shut. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.


End file.
